Every year there are numerous occurrences of people or animals trying to cross a frozen river or pond and falling through the ice into the water below. Because hypothermia develops very quickly, there is a need to rescue individuals without delay. Additionally, there are numerous occurrences of people or animals getting stuck in swamps, mud created by flooding, and other similar situations. In each of these situations, rescuers have limited time to bring the people or animals to safety and they often imperil their own safety in an attempt to rescue the distressed victim.